Sliding-door opening and closing mechanism



Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,626

N. C. THALHEIMER SLIDING DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISM Filed OCT- 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jj zvenior Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

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NICHOLAS C. TI-IALHEIMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN MENTS, TO RAILWAY METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SLIDING-DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISM.

Application filed October 26, 1923. Serial No. 671,049.

It is common practice to provide the sliding side doors of freight cars with wedging devices at the top and bottom so that as the door is moved to the closed position, it is forced closely against the frame of the doorway; also the front and rear edgesof the door are frequently provided with a metal or wooden strip which engages parts on the car so as to avoid spaces around the edges of the door through which sparks, dust, rain, snow, etc, may enter the car. The serious difficulty encountered with the use of such arrangement is that the doors become so tightly wedged that crow bars or like instruments are often used for initially forcing the doors open or for closing the door the few final inches of its travel.

The side doors of freight cars are frequently bulged by the packages comprising the lading bearing against them which bind the doors; also frequently grain or other plastic lading bulges the door post which binds the door by a gripping action with the spark strips.

As the side doors are either hung from the top frame member of the car or sup ported upon the bottom frame member of the car, itis possible for the frame of the car to weave and distort without distorting the side door itself.

All of the above mentioned conditions cause the door to bind in the closed position so that it is impossible to manually open it. Furthermore, it is also impossible to close the door without moving it rapidly toward the closed position with a resultant sudden impact against the front stops which do stroy them. It is more desirable, in. closing the door, to move it to within several inches of the closed position and then slowly but forcibly close it.

My invention resides in a mechanism for forcibly initially, opening the doorseveral inches and which mechanism may also be used for forcibly, finally closing the door a few inches.

Another object is to provide additional means to retain the parts in their proper relative position, thus obtaining a lock to the lock.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a device of this nature which is simple to operate and can be readily understood by the class of men who handle freight around a railroad freight house.

Another object is to obtain a very powerful device without having any wearing surfaces which require worn parts to be frequently replaced.

Another object is to obtain a device of this nature which is simple to manufacture and to apply to the car and can be readily repaired.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a freight car with my invention mounted thereon showing the door in closed position and my device in locked position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of afreight car with my invention mounted thereon showing the door in closed position and my device in an open and unlocked position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a freight car with a modification of my invention shown thereon in closed and locked position.

Fig. 4iis a fragmentary perspective view of afreight car with my invention mounted thereon with the door inan open position and my device in an unlocked position.

In the drawings numeral 1 is a front door post which is part of the framing of a freight car; 2 shows the inside lining; 3 the outside sheathing; 4 the front door stop; 5 the front stop on the door. Members 4 and 5 interlock to form av spark strip and though shown here as rolled steel sections they may be made. of any desired form or material. Numeral 7 shows the sheathing on the door itself and 8 the wooden framing-or bracing of the door.

The operating lever 9 is pivotally fulcrumed at 10 to a fulcrum bracket 11 which is mounted on the car framing in any convenient manner. Extension 12 is pivotally secured at 13 to operating lever 9, and hasp 14 is also pivotally secured at 15 to lever 9. Hasp 14: is provided at its oppositeend with projections 16 and 17 forming a T-head to operatively engage projections 18 and 19 or 20. These projections 18, 19 and 20 are formed on the door itself in any convenient manner. In the form illustrated they are lugs cast integral with member 21 which is riveted at 2-2 to the trout strip 5. Loclring bar 23 is pivoted at 2 t to the side door in any convenient manner. The oppoite end of this locking bar extends through an aperture in fulcrum bracket- 11 and is ar ranged to take the usual car seal or pad lock. It is so positioned that it is impossible to rotate the hasp 14 in such a. manner as to disengage projections 16 and 17 fro 1 projections 18, 19 and 20, therefore, the door cannot be opened. The position of the locking bar 23 also prevents therotation of operating bar 9 about pivot 10. The door thus doubly locked. The locking barQ} also independently retains the door in a closed position. i. e., independently of thehasp M and its associated parts. Unle s my device is released both the hasp l-l and locking bar 23 must be severed before the door can be opened. 5

A pintle maybe used instead of lugs 18,19 and 20 andan eye on member 1% instead of lugs 16 and 17. which would accomplish the same purpose, the object bein to provide an operating; connection between the hasp and the door, so that when the operating lever 9 is rotated about pivot 10. the door ismoved in a corresponding" direction.

The ends of the locking bar 2.3 may be reversed. if desired. thatis. they may be fulcrumed on the doorway frame and sealed on the door.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming the door to be closed and the device locked. asillustrated in Fig. 1: the seal or pad lock is removed and the locking bar 23 swung about point 24- uutil itaassumcs position shown in Fig. 2. Theextension 12. is then ra sed from a vertical to a horizontal po ition (see Fig. 1) thus increasinethe leverage of the device. The combined .levers 9 and 12 are then rotated about fulcrum 10 so that the nroiectione 16 and 17 bear against proiection 20 on the door and the hasp 141 will move relative to lever 9 about point 15. Thus the door is opened beyond the binding po nt so it can be readily moved further by hand. The hasp Maud combined levers 9 and 12 are all manually swumr back out of the way. as shown inFiog.

2. The door is then opened further by.

means of a handle which it is customary to. place upon suchdoors. The operation necessary to close the door s just the reverse.

The door is movedina closing direction to within a few inches of a closed position and the combined levers 9 and 152 and hasp 1-1 are swung: about point 10 until the projcc tions 16 and 17 lie between projections 18 and 19 on one side and projection 20 on the other side. The combined lovers 9 and 12, of course, will then be projecting outwardly from the car. This combined lever is then rotated about point, 10 toward the car (to the left in illustration) so that lugs 16 and 17 engage lugs 18 and 19 and pull the door forcibly into a closed position. The locking bar 23 is then rotated about point 2 1 so that the extension 25 passes through aperture 26 and the sealis applied. l lxtension 12 then drops by gravity from a horizontal to a vertical position. The device may then be scaled if desired.

The locking bar 23 serves as a. means to keep the door closed independently of the usual hasp. The inertia of the door tending to move away from the door post causes tre quent and forceful stresses upon the door hasp. In my construction these stresses are taken by the usual hasp also by the locking bar 23. These members may act independently and cooperatively. It one should break the other one would have to break also before the door could open; in other words, there is a lock to the lock.

In the modified. form. as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1. the combined. lovers 9 and 12 are made integral, as shown at 50, and are provided with staple 51. Hasp 52 is pro vided with an eye 53 to engage staple 51. thereby providing a, flexible connection brtwecn the two members. 'll'leoppositc end of hasp 52 is provided with a lip 54. and

member which engage an L-shaped projection 56 which is rigidly secured to the door in any convenient manner. The operation is practically the same as described tor the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. A combined door starter and closer for railway freight our side doors comprising a fulcrum on the car body, an operating; 10- ver pivoted upon said fulcrum. a hasp piv-- oted to said operating lever adapted to en gage a member on thcdoor. and a locking: bar pivoted to said door adjacent one end and engaging said fulcrum so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said operating lever.

A combined door starter and closer for railway freight car side doors comprising a fulcrum on the car body, an operating lever pivoted upon said fulcrum. a hasp pivoted to said OITJEJfltlIlQf lever adapted to engage a member on the door. and a locking bar pivoted to said door adjacent one end and engaging said fulcrum so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said hasp.

3. A combined door starter and closer For railway freight car side doors comprising a fulcrum on the car body, an operating lever pivoted upon said :t'ulcrun'i. a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to en gage a member on the door. and a locking bar pivoted to said door adjacent one end lac and engaging said fulcrum so as to. prevent the disengagement of said hasp from said member.

4. A combined door starter and closer for railway freight car side doors comprising a fulcrum on the car body, an operating lever pivoted upon said fulcrum, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage a member on the door, and a locking bar pivoted to said door adjacent one end and engaging said fulcrum so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said operating lever and of said hasp.

5. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted on one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operat ing lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar independently connecting said members.

(i. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted on one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and loosely engaging the other of said members.

7. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted on one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and engaging the other of said members so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said operating le- 8. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted on one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and engaging the other of said members so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said hasp.

9. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted on one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and engaging the other of said members so as to prevent the pivotal movement of said hasp and of said operating lever.

10. A mechanism for a railway car side door comprising a member mounted on the door, a member mounted on the car body, an

operating lever pivoted to one of said members, and a hasp. pivoted to said operatinglever engageable with a part of the other member to give the door an initiali open movement, said hasp being removable from 7 said, engagement and engagement with another part of said other member to give the door a further opening movement.

11. A mechanism for a railway car side door comprising a member mounted on the door, a member mounted on the car body, an. operating lever pivoted to one of said members, and a hasp pivoted to said operating lever engageable with a part of the other member to give the door an initial open movement, said hasps being removable from said engagement and engagement with another part of said other member to give the door a further opening movement, said hasp also engageable with said other member to give the door a final closing movement.

12. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted to one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said operating lever adapted to engage the other of said members, and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and loosely engaging the other of said members so as to retain said hasp in engagement with said other member.

13. A combined door closer and starter for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, an operating lever pivoted to one of said members, a hasp pivoted to said op erating lever adapted to engage the other of said members. and a locking bar pivoted to one member adjacent one end and loosely engaging the other of said members so as to retain said hasp in engagement with said other member and prevent pivotal movement of said operating lever.

14:. A mechanism for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, amember on the car body, toggle means detachably connecting said members to retain the door in a closed position, and a locking bar detachably connecting said members to independently retain the door in a closed position and to retain the toggle means in a predetermined position.

15. A mechanism for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, one of said members having spaced apart projections, toggle means detachably connecting said members to retain the door in a closed position and engageable with one of said projections to initially open the door, and a locking bar detachably connecting said members to independently retain the door in a closed position and to retain the toggle means in a predetermined position.

16. A mechanism for railway freight car side doors comprising a member on the door, a member on the car body, one of said 1nembers having spaced apart projections, toggle means detachably connecting said members to retain the door in a closed position and engageable with one of said projections to initially open the door and engegenble with the other of said projections to further open the door, and a locking bar detaehably con- 10 neoting said members to independently ret ain the door in a closed position and to retain the toggle means in a predetermined position.

NICHOLAS O. THALHEIMER. 

